Guest post: Dogs come with some powerful health and amazing mood boosting benefits. Here is how caring for your pet dog can help relieve you of depression and anxiety, lower stress levels, and also improve your heart health. As most dog owners will tell you, a dog can comfort you and cheer you up when you are feeling down. In fact, people have been using dogs for therapy for some time now.
Surprisingly, a relationship with a pet dog can prove to be more soothing than any other type of a relationship. One research team compared how humans reacted to a stress test. Pet owners had the lowest reactivity and also recovered quickly as compared to people without pets. We shall now look at how pet dogs can help improve our health.
How can dogs help your mental health
The friendship that a pet dog will offer is a good way to reduce stress and anxiety. In a lot of ways, dogs can help us have mentally healthier lives. Dogs have also proven to be great motivators for humans. Especially good at encouraging owners to move and exercise. This will prove to be beneficial for those suffering from depression. Dogs could also have calming effects on their human owners. Just simple acts of stroking, sitting next to or playing with a dog can give you a chance to relax and calm their minds. Caring for a dog will also give your day a purpose and reward, and some sense of achievement. It will also help you feel needed and valuable.
Movement and touch are two healthy ways to manage stress quickly. Being with a dog may lower blood
pressure and help you quickly feel calm and less stressed. Apart from pet dogs, psychiatric service dogs are trained to assist humans who may have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder.
Help yourself by helping your dog
Dogs are also a responsibility and the owner has to care for and provide for the pet dog. There are conditions, such as agoraphobia, that can make it difficult for people to leave the house alone on their own. The need to help your dog with regular exercise will give you a reason to go outside every day. Having a bond with your pet dog will mean that you won’t feel like you are going out alone.
Walking your dog will also lead to conversations with other dog owners and this will help you to stay socially connected and not completely withdrawn. People with more social relationships and friendships are mentally healthier. A dog is a man’s best friend and a great companion. They give owners a sense of security and someone to share their daily routine with. Dogs can be valuable company for those in later life or those living alone. Another great idea would be to go on a vacation or a trip together. Hotels and dogs might not sound like a good idea but if your dog qualifies, you can go places that you want to visit or travel to.
How can dogs help your physical health
Taking your dog for a hike, walk, or run are all fun and rewarding ways to fit healthy exercise into your daily routine. Recent studies suggest that dog owners are a lot more likely to meet their daily exercise requirements. Exercising every day is great for the dog as well. It will make the connection between you and your dog stronger, keeping your pet fit and healthy.
Having a dog will help add structure and routine to your day. Dogs require a regular feeding and exercise schedule and it could work for you as well. Adopting a healthy lifestyle will definitely help. It won’t matter what mood you are in. You will have to get up or out of bed to feed, exercise or care for them.